Dara Murphy (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he is looking at alternative location to schools as polling stations, for example in the Mourne Abbey area in Cork, two local National Schools are used while the local community association has made the community hall available to the returning officer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49765/12]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The primary role of my Department in electoral matters is to provide an appropriate policy and legislative framework for a modern and efficient electoral system. Within that framework, local returning officers are responsible for all matters in connection with the actual conduct of elections and referendums, including the provision of a sufficient number of polling stations, conveniently distributed for the accommodation of the electors entitled to vote there.

Electoral law provides that a returning officer may, for the purposes of taking a poll and counting the votes, use a school or any room in a school free of charge.